Custom designed playing cards — by Stephen R. Kowalski

Printed by Legends Playing Card Co. — Diamond Finish

Concentric is now live on Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/faume/concentric-deck-printed-by-legends-playing-card-co
Concentric was developed with the help of The Discourse: http://www.playingcardforum.com/index.php?topic=6857.0

Concentric is a fully custom designed deck of playing cards with a geometric theme. Each of the suit symbols (pips) are broken down into a group of 4-6 primary shapes - circles, diamonds, and half-diamonds (triangles).



The pips on each card are unique to that card. Using a number of layered, concentric shapes equal to the value of the card to make up each pip. For example, the clubs pip is made up of three circles and a triangle. The 6 of clubs uses 6 concentric circles in each of the three circle spots. It’s not exactly practical to count the number of circles on each card, but the effect is there to provide a quick visual shorthand to reinforce the value of the card.



The pip layout follows a similar concentric idea. The layout is comprised of three rings around the center with each pip perpendicular to the ring it is on. The center ring is really just the lone pip in the center that you see on the 5, 7, and 9. The second ring is most clearly shown in the 6. The outer ring is isolated in the 4. This layout allowed me to use larger pips to better show the detail of the concentric shapes than the traditional layout of rows of pips facing either up or down would allow.



I primarily use the traditional red and black for the suits. However, each suit also has its own individual color. In traditional playing cards, the courts for each suit all use the same color scheme. I wanted to give each suit a more individual identity for easier identification across the table, stronger visual unity within each suit, and to put my own twist on the traditional designs.






I have custom designed the font for the cards primarily based on Futura. My aim was to keep round portions as circular arcs and corners as sharp points to mimic the circles and diamonds that make up the pips. The other objective was to maintain consistent width for each number and letter for a consistent look when the cards are fanned in your hand.



The back design uses the elementary shapes that make up each pip to create a concentric, radial pattern.



The custom designed tuck box uses the beautiful long tongued Legends tuck box design. The long tongue makes for an easily opened pack that stays securely closed. The tuck will feature embossing on 4 faces plus the tongue.


Prototype Tuck

I have structured the Pledge tiers in such a way that the higher the level you back, the lower the price you pay per deck. It costs less to ship in bulk, so I'm passing those savings on to you. These cards are designed to be used, so back for enough to play and save!



Additionally, there are NO additional charges for shipping anywhere in the world! Because decks will be shipped directly from the Legends fulfillment center in Hong Kong, shipping costs are lower overall and roughly equal country to country.

I have been working on some new back designs based on feedback from here and other places. So far I have been working with alternate versions of the existing design.

I have abandoned the one-way ideas. I think you hit the nail on the head Don - too subtle to be useful. It may possibly just be annoying to those who do notice it.

In general I'm trying to make the back design somewhat less busy. The attached images are representative of four of the most solid of the twenty or so variations I've designed over the last couple days. I've reduced the three concentric shapes to a single, solid shape. Through variations in color, size, line thickness, and cropping I've created these variations. I think they all (to different degrees) accomplish the goal of being less busy. Additionally, they more closely follow the way the direction of the overall design philosophy of the deck has evolved.

Once again I have updated the images in my first two posts. I have chosen a new font for my indices, made some subtle changes to the courts, and revised my tuck box design.

One item I have not brought up here before is the one way back. You can see two variants of the back here: the 1st image attached to this post is a one way back, the second is two way. I believe the one way is subtle enough that it won't interfere with normal game play, but it could be useful for certain tricks.

If you haven't spotted the one way yet, if you draw a line from the center up, you'll see the line always intersects the center of a shape. If draw down, you'll see that in two instances it goes between shapes. I'm curious how you guys feel about this type of one way back. Should I eliminate one of the one way rings? Should I use a different ring as the one way ring?

I appreciate all the feedback I've received so far! I have just updated all of the images attached to the earlier posts with the latest versions. If you'd like to refer to the earlier designs for reference, those images are still posted here: http://alphavbeta.net/sample.html

I have increased the size of the index relative to the size of the corner pips and adjusted the width and height of each to be closer to the standard Don described I may still look at using a different font or modifying this one more heavily. I am not crazy about the J or Q.

I have used a simpler design for the corner pips of each card which is similar to the old corner pip for the Aces. Throughout the deck I have reduced the level of fine detail that would have been difficult or impossible to accurately print.

I have modified my Heart, Spade, and Club pip designs to make them more distinct.

I've enlarged the pips on the number cards and played with the line thickness to achieve the maximum possible legibility between the lines. I had a sample of an earlier version of this design printed by MPC and the main pips came out okay despite working from PNGs as they do. I believe the changes I've made should improve the end product even more.

I have increased the size of the shapes in the back design to hopefully make it easier on old eyes. :-)

Let me know what you think! I'm particularly looking for some feedback on the courts as no one has mentioned them yet. Thanks!

Thanks for the feedback! I understand what you mean about making sure each pip is 50% red or black. I haven't revised the court card pips in a while. I'll try to add some more black and red to them respectively. The number cards are all at least 50% red or black (though the 10's are close).

You're both asking to see more - what more do you want to see? Are all my images not showing? I've posted all courts and aces, backs, tuck box, jokers, and 2-10 from a variety of suits. I could post the complete 2-10 from all suits if you'd like. I'll try to put those together to post for tomorrow (the designs are already complete, just need to create some .pngs).

Afrank8, how would you suggest toning down the backs? Maybe make the lines a bit less heavy? Or maybe make the shapes bigger so there are less layers? I think part of the problem may just be the way that image looks on this site. I've had a sample printed of nearly an identical design, and in hand it doesn't look quite so busy. It looks like most patterned backs.

If for some reason all the images I've posted here aren't showing, you can also see them here: http://alphavbeta.net/sample.html

Hello!

I have been lurking around the forum for a bit while I've been designing this deck, and I'm to the point now where I need some feedback from a larger group. To this point I have consulted with a few friends, but now I'm hoping to get some more opinions.

The idea that sparked this deck came from doodling during a boring meeting at work. I drew the basic shapes of the pips, and continued to add layers of concentric shapes. I noticed that the pips could each be broken down further to even more basic shapes, and I could create each pip from just circles and diamonds.

I had the idea to use concentric shapes to represent the value of the card. Single shapes for Aces, two concentric shapes for 2's, six concentric shapes for 6's, etc.

This provides a quick, visual shorthand indicating the value of the card. Now I don't expect someone using the deck to count the concentric shapes each time - that isn't the point. I am not leaving off indices. I am simply using this pip design to reinforce the values.

My court designs retain many of the classic elements of the courts (one-eyed Jacks, suicide King, etc), but use only two colors - The red or black of the suit plus a color unique to each suit. The thick, bold lines and shapes of the courts provide a contrast to the thin, delicate lines that make up the pips.

The number cards use a custom pip layout that has the pips follow three concentric circles radiating from the center. The layout is the same for each suit.

The pip for the Joker is a four point star in the design language I've established throughout the deck.

I appreciate all feedback and constructive criticism!

!!! Attached images have been updated 03 August 2014 !!!

Original images from this topic can still be found at: http://alphavbeta.net/sample.html